Poem Analysis - The Grave Of The Hundered Head

Introduction: A Cycle of Grief and Vengeance

Rudyard Kipling's "The Grave of the Hundred Head" is a stark and unsettling portrayal of colonial violence and retribution. The poem cycles between sorrow and brutal action, ultimately questioning the true cost of revenge. Its tone is initially mournful, lamenting the loss of a young officer, but it quickly shifts to a chillingly detached depiction of the ensuing massacre. The poem concludes by returning to the opening lament, emphasizing the cyclical nature of violence and grief.

Historical Context: The British Empire and Colonial Violence

Kipling wrote during the height of the British Empire, a period marked by widespread colonial expansion and often brutal suppression of local populations. "The Grave of the Hundred Head" reflects this historical context by depicting the violent response of British colonial forces to the death of one of their officers. The poem, in its unflinching depiction of the massacre, offers a glimpse into the realities of imperial rule and the justifications used to perpetrate violence against colonized peoples.

Theme: The Brutality of Retribution

A central theme is the merciless brutality of retribution. The poem meticulously details the systematic slaughter of the inhabitants of Pabengmay, a disproportionate response to the death of Lieutenant Eshmitt Sahib. The phrase "five score heads" highlights the extreme level of violence, suggesting that the act of revenge far exceeded any sense of justice or proportion. The image of the men carrying baskets "Red as his palms" vividly portrays the horror and dehumanization involved in the act of vengeance.

Theme: The Dehumanizing Effects of Colonialism

The poem reveals how colonialism can lead to the dehumanization of both the colonizer and the colonized. The Burmans are portrayed as a faceless "howling crew," easily butchered, while the British-led soldiers of the First Shikaris are reduced to efficient killing machines. The description of the "pile of their trophies / High as a tall man's chin, / Head upon head distorted," underscores the grotesque and dehumanizing nature of colonial warfare. The emphasis on the physical act of collecting heads further strips both the victors and the victims of their humanity.

Theme: Questionable Justice

There is an underlying sense of moral ambiguity that challenges the concept of colonial justice. While the poem initially presents the events as a justified response to the officer's death, the sheer scale of the violence raises questions about its morality. The image of Subadar Prag Tewarri placing "the head of the Boh / On the top of the mound of triumph, / The head of his son below," is particularly disturbing. It suggests a twisted sense of honor and the personal cost of colonial allegiance, raising questions about the true beneficiaries of this "justice."

Symbolism: The Samadh as a Monument to Violence

The "samadh," or burial mound, functions as a complex symbol. Initially intended as a memorial to Lieutenant Eshmitt Sahib, it ultimately becomes a monument to colonial violence and the disproportionate response to his death. The addition of the hundred heads transforms the samadh into a graphic representation of the price paid for the life of one white man. It stands as a stark reminder of the brutal realities of imperialism and the dehumanizing effects of revenge.

Conclusion: An Unsettling Legacy

"The Grave of the Hundred Head" is not a glorification of colonial conquest but rather a chilling exploration of its dark side. The poem reveals the cycle of violence, the dehumanization of both colonizer and colonized, and the questionable morality of imperial "justice." By framing the narrative with the image of the grieving widow, Kipling reminds us of the human cost of empire, a cost measured not only in the loss of individual lives but also in the erosion of humanity itself. The poem leaves us with an unsettling question: is the price of colonial dominance worth the moral compromises required to maintain it?